Power generating, transmitting, and delivering apparatus



' May 28, 1940.

c. M. PARK POWER GENERATING, TRANSMITTING, AND DELIVERING APPARATUS R X I Q Filed March 20, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 A Q f r o I Q m 9 m P @1 g 5 U k w F w w I N B N q w R R 5 fiZVIZtOI'V .(kaarzagyfiPar/E,

3 o 0 a4 42% r M jPYarwq May 28, 1940. c, P 2,202,298 POWER GENERATING, TRANSMITTING, AND DELIVERING APPARATUS Filed March 20, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 28, 1940. C. M. PARK 2,202,298 POWER GENERATING, TRANSMITTING, AND. DELIVERING APPARATUS Filed March 20, 1937 s Sheets-Sheet s Heat Ezckargyer J52 z/ 22 for Chauncey /Z Park,

Patented May 28, 1940 PATENT OFFICE POWER GENERATING, TRANSMITTING, AND

DELIVERING APPARATUS Chauncey M. Park, Evanston, Ill.

Application March 20, 1937, Serial No. 132,001

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in apparatus for the transmission and control of power.

The principal object of the invention is to '5 provide means for the use of a compressed gas as the medium of transmission of power generated in an internal combustion engine whereby to obtain an efficiency and flexibility in the utilization of the generated power which is in excess of that obtainable through direct mechanical transmission.

The present invention contemplates a thermodynamic cycle of operations whereby the power generated by aninternal combustion engine is l5 utilized in establishing a reservoir of potential energy in the form of compressed air or other gas and is further utilized by heat transmission circuits to transfer the thermal energy generated in the internal combustion engine into kinetic energy '20 realized by means of the compressed air.

It is well known that a large amount of thermal energy created by the explosion of a fuel in an internal combustion engine is lost through the exhaust gases and the heat radiating from the -25 engine. The cooling liquid circulation system is itself a means of dissipating the heat from the engine, the loss of energy in the cooling liquid being considered necessary to obtain the advantage of operating temperatures within a workable 30 range.

In the present invention, it is proposed to utilize the internal combustion engine in a system where the power generated by the internal combustion engine is mechanically used only to a limited :35 degree, transmission of thermal energy being utilized in a greater degree than has heretofore been practical to obtain. Specifically, the present invention is embodied in an apparatus which utilizes an internal combustion engine as the '40 source of power. The internal combustion engine mechanically drives an air compressor. The air compressor discharges to a reservoir or receiver.

ever, that the drawings and description are illustrative only and are not to be taken as limiting the invention except in so far as it is limited by the claims. I I p In the drawings- 5 Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate diagrammatically a suitable apparatus for carrying out a thermodynamic cycle embodying the invention. Fig. 3 is a complete diagram of the apparatus shown W in Figs. 1 and 2, all of the parts being shown in 10 elevation, and the several parts being suitably labeled.

- The illustration in the drawings is directed solely to the essential elements of apparatus necessary for the thermo-dynamic cycle. Suitable controls of any desired form are utilized for controlling the fuel intake to the internal combustion engine, the air intake to the air com-- pressor, and the ultimate operation of the air engine. These controls, however, form no particular part of the present invention and are, therefore, not shown.

In the diagrammatic representation, power is generated in aninternal combustion cylinder I. and is mechanically transmitted to a pair of cylinders 5 and 6 for compressing air. A fuel inlet 2 supplies fuel to the cylinder I, and the fuel inlet may have a control valve 20. therein. Exhaust gases from the cylinder I are discharged through an exhaust duct 3. The air compressor 5 receives air through an inlet duct 4 which preferably has a valve 4a therein for controlling the amount of air. The compressor 5 discharges air into an interstage cooler I located in a cooling chamber 8. The cooled air from the cooler 1 enters thehigh pressure compressor 6 and passes from the compressor 6 through a second cooler l5 to an air storage reservoir or receiver l8 through a conduit H.

The function of the reservoir I8 is to provide a reservoir of potential energy in the form of compressed air in order that the power available to operate a compressed air engine or engines may have instantaneous values substantially different from instantaneous output of the internal combustion engine. The removal of heat from the compressed air in the cooling chamber 8 permits the storage of an increased mass of air at a given pressure and thus in effect increases the capacity of the reservoir I8.

The cooling chamber 8 is in communication by means of a conduit Ila with a second cooling chamber 9 which jackets the air compressors 5 and 6. A third cooling chamber l0 jackets the internal combustion engine cylinder I. Pressure 56 pressure in the condenser 4!.

is equalized and circulation is provided for through the chambers 8, 9, and H] by means of a conduit H between the chambers 9 and I 0 and a connecting duct Ha between the chambers 8 and 9. The cooling liquid utilized may be water which is heated to such an extent in its progressive cycle from the chamber 8 to the chamber H] as to vaporize the water and create steam in the chambers 8 and i0.

Steam from the chamber In and the chamber 8 enters a header l2 and is conducted by a conduit 13 into a heat exchanger M. Any vapor condensed in the heat exchanger I4 returns to the chamber 8 through a conduit l6.

Air from the reservoir i8 passes through a conduit i8, which may be valved asindicated at Ma, and into the heat exchanger M. A coil 20 is formed in the conduit I 9 to facilitate the exchange of heat from the steam to the compressed air. The compressed air is delivered through a conduit 2! from the heat exchanger M to a second coil 22 which is located in a heat exchanger 23. From the heat exchanger 23, the compressed air flows through a conduit 24 into a pair of high pressure cylinders 25 and 26. Exhaust conduits 25a. and 263a carry the exhaust air from the cylinders 25 and 25 to a conduit 2"! which leads through a third heat exchanger 34. From the third heat exchanger 3 the air enters a pair of low pressure cylinders 35-and 36 where it expands further and is finally discharged into the atmosphere through exhaust conduits 31 and 38.

Any vapor not condensed in the heat exchanger it passes on through a conduit 39 into the vapor section 34a of the heat exchanger 34. Any remaining vapor from the heat exchanger 34 passes through a conduit QB into a condenser 4| where the remaining latent heat of vaporization is transferred to the atmosphere. A suitable safety valve 33 is provided for relief of excess vapor The limiting temperature of the cooling mediLun may be controlled by adjustment of the operating pressure for the safety valve 33, for example, by means of a weight 33a. The condenser may be cooled by a fan d8 driving air through a bank of shutters t9. In order to control the rate of condensation by the pressure of steam in the cooling fluid system the shutters are actuated by a diaphragm 50 which is operatively connected by a conduit 5! to the top of the condenser 4!. The shutters are pivoted at 5'2 and are operated by a link 53 which is driven from the diaphragm 51!.

The condensate produced by the cooling action in the condenser fli is returned through a conduit 42 to the chamber 8. A branch conduit 4211. removes any condensate from the vapor section 34a of the heat exchanger 34 and delivers it into the chamber 8.

The exhaust gases from the internal combustion engine are delivered to the heat exchanger 23 by the conduit 3 and are discharged from the heat exchanger 23 into a conduit 23. The conduit 28 discharges into a pair of jackets 29 and 30 jacketing the cylinders 25 and 2B of the compressed air engine. The exhaust gases leave the jackets 29 and 30 through conduits 3i and 32 and these conduits discharge into the exhaust gas section 3% of the heat exchanger 33. From the heat exchanger 3 s, the exhaust gases are delivered through a conduit 43 and a branch 43a, thereof to a pair of jackets 44 and GE surrounding the low pressure cylinders 35 and 36 of the compressed air engine. From these jackets, the exhaust gases are discharged into the atmosphere through exhaust conduits 46 and 41.

It will be noted that all of theapparatus, with the exception of the air receiver I 8 and the condenser M, is insulated against loss of heat to the atmosphere. This insulation retains most of the heat generated by explosion of the fuel in the internal combustion engine so as to make it available for the production of power at the output of the compressed air engine. A portion of the heat energy present in the exhaust gases and in the cooling medium for the cylinders I, 5, and 6 and the coils 7 and I5 is utilized in the production of useful power. The use of a two stage compressor in the compression of the air and the withdrawal of the heat of compression between stages, reduces the power required to compress a given mass of air to a given pressure, and the withdrawal of heat from the compressed air serves to increase the efiective capacity of the reservoir I8 and to reduce the loss of heat to the atmosphere from the reservoir. The apparatus shown herein retains the heat withdrawn from the air during and after compression for subsequent return to the compressed air before it enters the compressed air engine and during its expansion in that engine.

The addition of heat to the compressed air in the heat exchangers occurs at essentially constant pressure, and the volume of compressed air is increased substantially in proportion to the increase in its absolute temperature. A given mass of compressed air will thus do an increased amount of work during its expansion in the cylinders of the engine. gases, through the jackets surrounding the cylinders of the compressed air engine, heats the cylinder walls and adds heat to the air during its expansion in the cylinders, thus increasing the mean effective pressure exerted on the pistons and increasing the amount of useful power obtained from the compressed air engine.

From the above description, it is believed that the construction, operation, and advantages of the apparatus will be readily apparent to those skilled in this art. It is obvious that various minor modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Having thus described one specific form of my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

The passage of the exhaust 1. In a power generating, transmitting and' delivering apparatus which comprises an internal combustion engine, an air compressor driven by said engine, a storage reservoir for the compressed air, and a compressed air engine operated by the compressed air, a heat transfer system comprising means for absorbing heat produced by the combustion of fuel in said internal combustion engine in compressing the air prior toits storage in said reservoir, and means for transmitting part of the absorbed heat from said absorbing means to the compressed air as "it is delivered from; the reservoir to the compressed air engine, said internal combustion engine having an insulated exhaust conduit for conducting exhaust gases from the engine, and heat exchange means for transferring heat from the exhaust gases of the internal combustion engine to the compressed air being utilized by the compressed air engine after the air has received heat from said absorbing means.

2. In a power generating, transmitting and delivering apparatus which comprises an internal combustion engine, an air compressor pressed air being delivered from the reservoir to the compressed air engine, said internal combustion engine having a cooling fluid jacket, connected between the compressor cooling fluid jacket and the means to transfer heat to the compressed air, whereby to increase the transfer of heat to the compressed air being delivered to the compressed air engine.

3. A power transmission system comprising in combination, an internal combustion engine, an air compressor driven by said engine, a reservoir for the storage of the compressed air, an air engine connected to said reservoir and operable by the expansion of the compressed air, means for transferring the heat of compression generated in the air compressor and the heat of combustion absorbed by the internal combustion engine body to the compressed air being fed to the air engine from: said reservoir to increase the intrinsic energy thereof, and means totransfer heat of combustion from the exhaust gases of the internal combustion engine to the compressed air after the compressed air has received the heat from the sources first described whereby to increase further the intrinsic energy thereof.

4. A power transmission system comprising in combination an internal combustion engine, an air compressor driven by said engine, a storage reservoir receiving compressed air from the compressor, an air engine connected to receive air from said storage reservoir, means for absorbing heat from the air compressed by said compressor before it is stored in said reservoir, and totransmit said heat absorbed from the air to the air fed from the storage reservoir to the air engine, and means to transfer heat of combustion from the exhaust gases of the internal combustion engine to the air being fed tothe air engine after the air has received heat from said heat absorbing means.

5. In a power transmission system of the character described having in combination an internal combustion engine, an air compressor driven bysaid engine, a storage reservoir receiving compressed air from the compressor, and an air engine receiving air from the storage reservoir, a heat transfer system} adapted to remove heat from the compressed air before storing the air in the reservoir and to return heat to the air while it is being utilized by said air engine, said heat transfer system comprising a fluid cir-'- culation system having a fluid jacket for the air compressor which includes means for removing heat from the air after it leaves the compressor,

a fluid jacket for the internal combustion en-- gine in communication with said first named. fluid jacket, a heat exchanger interposed between the air reservoir and the air engine and connected with said fluid jackets whereby to transfer heat from the cooling fluid to the air from the reservoir, and means for transmitting part of the heat from said fluid to the air after it has been partially expanded by said air engine.

6. A system for transmitting power from a prime mover of the internal combustion engine type which comprises compression means utilizing the motive power of said engine to compress a gas, a storage reservoir for the compressed gas,

heat transfer and storage means combined with the engine body and with said compression means for absorbing and transferring the heat of compression and the heat of combustion transferred to the engine body to a fluid, a work engine into which the compressed gas is expanded from said reservoir to do work, heat transfer means for transferring heat stored in said fluid to said expanding gas, and a further I heat transfer means for transferring heat of combustion in the exhaust gas of said internal combustion engine to the expanding gas after it has received the heat from said fluid.

CHAUNCEY M. PARK. 

